


What’s a Den?

by OrionRedde, Shyrstyne



Series: Cometverse [54]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Body Horror, Found Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 15:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19467298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne
Summary: Months after being freed, the time has come for Terra to change. He and his family take a walk to help him feel better.





	What’s a Den?

“Are you sure we should be so far from the castle right now?” Aqua asks, a little worried.

“It should be fine,” Terra hums, looking up at the sky. He ignores the nausea and the dizziness, knowing it’ll only get worse if he stays in the castle and paces like a caged animal. “It’s just a short walk. It’ll help me feel better, anyway.”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun!” Ventus enthuses. He bounces along next to them, looking a little pale. He’d told them both that it was just heart sib stuff, but he’s fine, really! Terra doesn’t quite believe that, but he’s too sick and grumpy to care about details right now. Ven assures him he’s fine and Terra needs to  _ move.  _ He’d missed home, really! He just… doesn’t want to stare at cream and gold walls for the next however many hours.

“Alright,” Aqua sighs, a slight smile on her lips. “But not too far, okay? I just… want to be close to home.”

“I get that,” Terra agrees. “I just need to refamiliarize myself, y’know? Remember where everything’s at.”

“Territory, right?” Ven asks, picking up a stick from the ground. It’s about his height, and he promptly uses it as a walking stick.

“Think so,” Terra hums. “You probably know more than we do, at this point.” The downsides of being adopted as an apprentice at a young age to a non-were. They’d picked up bits and pieces, him and Aqua, but ultimately there were still things they just didn’t know. Aqua had learned some, pouring voraciously over books all their lives, but he’d never been much inclined to reading.

“Mmmmh, maybe territory, then,” Ventus muses aloud. “You wanna know where everything is, make sure nobody else moved in while you were gone. It’s  _ your  _ space, and you don’t want complete strangers messing you or your pack up.” He’d been talking to Sora and Lea a lot lately, and Terra wondered if maybe he shouldn’t do the same, if only he weren’t so ashamed of the gap in his knowledge.

“Sounds about right,” Aqua agrees. “I won’t deny I feel the same way.”

“Then this is good!” Ventus chirps, waving the stick around as he trots ahead of them. “You’ll both get to check on your territory, and Terra will hopefully feel less icky. We’ve just gotta stay close to the castle. Easy!”

Terra and Aqua exchange a fond, exasperated glance. Aqua silently holds out her hand, palm up. Terra gingerly places his hand in hers, large palm dwarfing hers. She gives him a smile and an encouraging squeeze.

“We’ll be fine,” Aqua soothes, knocking her shoulder against his as they walk. “I know I said I’d rather be close to home, but if it helps you to be out here then it’s okay.”

“Thanks, Aqua,” Terra murmurs, averting his eyes with a blush. Aqua beams, feeling bubbles of contentment and soft joy float in her chest. Ventus hollers at them to hurry up.

“We’re coming!” Terra hollers back, making Aqua laugh. “Hold your haunches!”

They pass time like this, just walking. Terra and Aqua enjoy the weather, talking in low voices. Ventus will trot ahead, exploring some tree or creak or boulder he remembers, making sure it’s still there. He always comes back to tell them what he found. Terra and Aqua trace fingertips over marks they’d left on trees and rocks so long ago. He’d done walks of the area before, since coming back, but nothing this thorough- not since his suppression. Terra quietly admits he’s not looking forward to the pain, but he misses being a were, being able to smell and feel and live, being able to be  _ himself _ . Aqua rubs her cheek on his shoulder in sympathy, squeezing his hand. Ventus places a hand on his elbow.

They walk into a huge field when Ventus stops.

“Guys?” He starts, slowly turning a circle. “Where’s the castle?”

“Uh-oh,” Terra groans, also looking around, squinting through a headache building between his eyes. “How far away are we?”

“Pretty far,” Aqua sighs. “Look.”

Far in the distance, illuminated by the fading sunset, is the castle. They have no chance of returning before the moon rises, a sliver of it already peeking at the horizon. Terra sighs and sits down.

“Yeah, this is fine,” he huffs, laying back. “I like it better here, anyway. Feels less closed in.”

“Sora says it’s better to have more space, anyway,” Ventus speaks up. “Then you can run around and play for a bit before going back to the den!”

“Den?” Aqua asks, kneeling next to Terra.

“Yeah, den!” Ventus continues. “A den is where…” He sways in place, blinking. “Is where… nnnngh,” Ventus grunts, hunching over slightly.

Terra can relate. He’s feeling worse by the minute.

“Heart sib thing?” He asks instead.

“Yeah,” Ventus grunts, looking pale. “Must be. Heart sib thing.”

“C’mere,” Terra grunts, patting the grass next to him. He may feel absolutely awful, but he wants his cub nearby. They can feel gross together. Ventus shuffles over and plops down next to Terra, shoving his face into Terra’s chest. Terra sighs and buries his nose in Ventus’ hair. Already, Terra’s sinuses are starting to burn, warping slightly, subtly. He can smell the nature around him, now. The dirt, the trees, the rain heavy clouds blowing in. He can smell Aqua, smell the broadest strokes of her scent - proud ocean, fierce feline smell, the slightest mineral scent of her favorite body wash. He smells Ventus.

Ventus smells like…

Like…   
Terra frowns, drawing a deeper breath through his nose, closing his eyes as he concentrates. No. No, it couldn’t be…

“What is it?” Aqua asks, concerned.

“Smell Ventus,” Terra rasps, feeling dizzy as another wave of pain grips the back of his skull. Ventus whimpers next to him. “ _ Please  _ tell me I’m wrong.”

Aqua leans over him, shoving her nose into Ventus’ hair as she sniffs him. He closes his eyes when she tenses, sniffing Ventus again. She scents his hair, his shoulder, his cheek.

The offending scent grows stronger even as she double checks.

“Oh no,” Aqua whispers. “No, no, no.”

“We’ll be fine,” Terra manages, insides roiling. He forces his grip on Ventus to stay relaxed as the cub whines. “We’ll be okay. We can figure this out.”

“I don’t… feel right,” Ventus gasps, breath raspy.

“I don’t think this is a heart sib thing, Ven,” Aqua manages, visibly forcing herself to stay calm. “You’ve been feeling sick all day. I think you’re changing.”

“Oh,” Ventus murmurs, squeezing his eyes shut, sweat appearing on his brow. “I don’t like it.”

“It’ll be okay, cub,” Terra huffs, swallowing back bile. “It’ll be okay.”

“Damn,” Aqua hisses to herself. “Damn, damn,  _ damn!” _

__ “Watch- watch your fucking language,” Terra grunts, grinning even as a deep ache starts up in his joints. 

“I’ll go ahead and shift-” Aqua begins but Terra suddenly grips her wrist, immediately loosening his grasp when he realizes he might hurt her.

“Nnngh… No,” he pants. “No, we need- we need somebody capable of moving.” Shifting the day of the full moon before the moon rises properly was never advisable, and the risk of her hurting herself was too great.

“How else am I supposed to-?” Aqua cuts herself, forcefully inhaling through her nose, releasing her breath through her mouth. “I need to get the two of you to safety.”

“Then- then wait,” Terra gasps, arching slightly as something clamps around his spine in a cruel vice. Ventus whimpers, curling closer to Terra. Terra carefully, he has to be careful his cub is  _ hurting, _ grips the back of Ventus’ neck. “Just… just wait, Aqua.”

“Terra-” Aqua’s face twitches, like she’s trying not to cry. Terra reaches up and trails a knuckle over her cheek. She takes his hand in hers, kissing his wrist and pressing his palm against the side of her face. Terra shudders a sigh, letting his head fall back. He runs his hand through Ventus’ hair, feeling Aqua do the same. Terra breathes deeply, sorting out the mishmash of scents and working through the nausea. 

The sun sets completely, the world going quiet and still. Terra withdraws his hand from Aqua’s face, making himself breathe evenly and deeply. He can do this. He’ll make it. He rolls to his side, curling protectively around a shivering Ventus as he senses the moon rising. Terra hears Aqua shift, bones popping like stiff knuckles as she flows into her lion form. He pants, feeling muscles cramp and release. Ventus whimpers in his arms.

“Terra,” his cub whimpers, shivering and shaking as his body tenses. “Terra, Terra, it hurts. Hurts.”

“I know, cub,” Terra rasps. “We’ll be okay. Just breathe, okay? Just-”

Something pops in Terra’s back and his vision whites out. Ventus yelps in his arms, jerking slightly as his own back pops out of alignment. Aqua is immediately on them, nosing their hair and shoulders. Terra pants, groaning as he tries to adjust himself so he’s on his front. He vaguely remembers something about it being better if he changed while laying on his front, but he can’t remember where he learned it. Ventus whimpers at the lack of contact, voice high and breathy. Terra flops a trembling arm over him and pulls him closer with flagging strength. Ventus arches, drawing legs up and straining his head back as he cries out.

“Breathe, cub,” he reminds Ventus. He pants, gripping the earth with one hand as  _ pain  _ lances through his body. Keep still, he tells himself, you’ve got a cub in your grasp. Keep still.

“You have to breathe, Ven!” Aqua urges desperately nuzzling Ventus’ cheek. Ventus inhales sharply and yells again as his spine pops and cracks.

“I need to get you to shelter,” Aqua frets, pacing.

“The trees!” Terra gasps, even as his back arches again. “Cub first.”

“Cub first,” Aqua agrees. “I’ll be back for you.”

“Don’t… don’t doubt it,” Terra huffs, muscles in his arms clenching. “Go.”

Aqua licks his forehead and stoops to pick up Ventus. Ventus whimpers, clutching Terra’s shirt tighter. Aqua starts purring, equal parts distressed and comforting.

“T-terra,” Ventus whimpers, gaze unfocused.

“Go with Aqua, Ven,” Terra grunts, gritting his teeth as the pain reaches his legs. “Go with Aqua, I’ll be right there.”

“Aqua?” Ventus says, head flopping up to look at the lioness holding him. “Aqua. Aqua, it hurts.”

“I know, cub, I know,” she soothes, gathering Ventus close to her chest. “I’m gonna take you to some shelter, okay? Then I’ll get Terra and we’ll get through this together.”

“O-okay,” Ventus stutters, curling into her. Aqua keens slightly, rasping her tongue over his hair. 

“Aqua, go,” Terra prompts, fighting to stay coherent. Aqua keens again but leaves. Terra can hear Ventus whimper through the roaring in his ears. The world around him fades and his senses focus in on Ventus’ distress. He’s hurting. Their cub is hurting.

Gotta get up.

Get up, Terra.

Terra manages to get on his hands and knees. He’s shaking. He can see his very skin twitching over rippling flesh as his body braces itself for what’s to come. He has to get up. He has to get to his cub. Terra heaves, feeling something squeeze around his guts. He sits back on his haunches, trying to keep his breathing even.

Okay, so he  _ can’t  _ get up. That’s fine.

Terra’s belly  _ cramps _ , making him gasp and hunch over, pressing his arms over his middle. His breath hisses through his teeth. Don’t yell. Don’t scream. Gotta keep it together. Can’t freak Ventus out any more than he is right now. Breathe. Hold it in.

“Terra?”    
Aqua gently noses the side of his head. He huffs a breath, closing his eyes and allowing himself the comfort. He digs his fingers into the fur around her shoulders, the texture grounding him.

“Terra, let’s go,” Aqua murmurs, still distress-purring.

“Yeah,” Terra rasps. Aqua hooks his arm around her shoulders reaches down to scoop up his legs. “Please don’t,” Terra blurts. “I don’t… I can’t…” He can’t even  _ begin  _ to explain the whirlwind of conflicting habits and desires clouding his heart. They tell him he has to be strong, to be silent, to not show pain. That he can’t burden Aqua with his hurts, has to be on guard at all times. He can’t be weak, can’t show weakness, can’t…

“Terra,” Aqua growls, voice firm. “You won’t make it on your own.”

“I  _ can!”  _ Why is he insisting he knows he can’t he hurts too badly but he  _ has to  _ he  _ has to he has to. _

__ “You always do this!” Aqua suddenly snaps, sharp fangs gnashing in front of his face. Terra can’t even flinch, feeling weak and a burden and she should just go, take care of Ventus, he’s not strong enough not- “Terra!” Aqua says again, voice thick. “Terra, you can’t keep hiding like this! It’s okay to hurt! It’s okay to be vulnerable, to let  _ others  _ know that you hurt! I don’t- this is what  _ we  _ did when… when it all happened.” Aqua sniffles and Terra can’t stop a keen deep in his throat, feeling ashamed, “Please, Terra, it’s okay. It’s okay to be weak, to accept help.  _ Please. _ ”

Terra goes limp, heart trembling. He chokes on a sob, feeling tears run down his face. Aqua licks the tears away, and he doesn’t protest when she scoops him up.

“Sorry,” he whispers, voice faint as he strains back, muscles tightening and flexing in his shoulders and lower back. “ ‘m sorry, Aqua.”

“I forgive you,” Aqua tells him, rushing to the trees. “We just… need to work on being more open with each other. Deal?”

“Deal,” Terra pants. “Ventus?”

Aqua makes a distressed noise in her throat, even as she ducks under some lower branches.

“Hurting, scared,” she manages, voice deepening in pitch with her emotions. “Needs us.”

Terra groans, curling forward into Aqua as the cramping travels down his back to attack his legs. He pants, not bothering to stop his own whimpers as he breathes through it. He jerks when he hears a distressed cry. Aqua picks up her pace, bursting through some bushes into a small grove. Terra blinks away the pain, focusing on a curled up bundle beneath a tree, distinctive blond hair visible.

_ CUB!  _ His heart shouts.  _ Cub cub cub cub cub cub protect cub cub hurting go go go. _

“Ventus!” Aqua almost shouts, practically skidding on her knees as she rushes forward to place Terra down next to their cub. Terra throws himself forward, grabbing on to  _ his cub  _ and dragging himself closer to try to scent him, reassure himself that yes, his cub is here and alive. Aqua’s muzzle brushes against his face as she does the same, both of them curling close around Ventus. Ventus whimpers, shivering, but grips Terra’s shirt and Aqua’s fur as tightly as he can.

The three of them are quiet, save for Aqua’s distressed purring and Terra and Ventus’ whimpers and gasps.

Terra  **roars** as his back  _ crunches _ , shoulders and upper spine suddenly snapping forward into a pronounced hunch. Ventus screams, seizing as his back lengthens out, limbs scrabbling against the earth. Aqua cries silently, pressing her paws and nose against fevered foreheads and shoulders, licking away tears and sweat as best she can. Terra groans, skin feeling too tight and bones too small. He cries out, arm jerking itself back with a sickening pop. He can’t  _ breathe  _ as his chest barrels out just as his spine curves again. He slams his hand back down again, just on the other side of Ventus, who curls up over his hands as they snap and pop, claws bursting from bleeding and swollen nail beds.

_ Cub,  _ Terra forces himself to remember. He digs his hands into the earth, grumbling deep in his chest, but relaxes them when he feels the cartilage pop. Aqua licks his cheeks as he cries, bones in his hands warping and thickening, long bear claws slowly sprouting from his fingertips. 

There’s a rustle in the undergrowth.

Terra’s head whips up and he snarls, pushing himself up on his hands and knees, despite the pain ravaging his limbs. Adrenaline floods his body as Aqua crouches in front of him and their cub. Ventus whimpers beneath him, strengthening his resolve.

Protect cub. 

Aqua suddenly rushes forward and he tenses, ready to defend his cub. Two strange weres approach him as Aqua throws herself at a human. Terra roars, baring his fangs, heedless of the drool dripping down his chin. One of the weres say something to him, and he growls, swiping at them when they get too close.

A paw rests on his arm.

Terra glances down.

Ventus, face tight with pain and mouth full of teeth too big for it, pants and gazes up at him with hazy eyes.

_ “Pack!”  _ Ventus gasps, straining to speak as something in his pelvis pops alarmingly.  _ “Pack. Family!”  _

Pack?

One of the weres, a large cat with spots, immediately lowers themself, crawling forward on their front and rolling on their back, exposing their throat and belly to Terra. They look up at him with big blue eyes, purring at him. Ventus reaches out to grasp the other were’s paw with his own. The eyes are… familiar.

“It’s okay, Terra!” That were speaks. “It’s okay. We’re here.”

He knows this were. He racks his brain. Blue eyes. That voice. That hair.

“Sora?” He rasps, arms buckling. He shifts his weight just in time so he doesn’t fall on top of Ventus. The other were, a panther, cautiously edges forward and, when he makes no aggressive moves, carefully nudges his forehead with their own. “Xion?” He asks, struggling to remember names as well as words in general.

“Yeah,” they reply softly. “We’re here. Roxas, Vanitas, Kairi, Namine, Riku, Haru, and Comet are here, too. We felt Ventus hurting. We’re here to help.”

“Oh,” Terra manages, head dropping to his forearm as he sprawls his legs out behind him. Ventus pants loudly, shivering as his transformation pauses. He drifts mentally, aware of only the cub in his one-armed embrace and the multitude of pack, of family, pressing paws and noses and hands on him and Ventus. He thinks somebody manages to claw his shirt off of him, but leaves his pants alone. His skin prickles and itches as patches of thick, dark fur bloom over his back and arms. He can feel fur bloom over Ventus’ back as well, coarse yet soft, the color of his hair with dark spots. Similar to Sora's, actually.

After a moment Terra lifts himself up on his elbows, feeling the burning intensify in his body. He pants, squeezing his eyes shut, flexing his paws into the dirt. He smells Aqua and then she’s pressing her forehead against his. He breathes with her, feeling… calm, despite his body hurting, despite his  _ cub  _ hurting, despite all the fear and confusion. He feels calm, safe. His pack is here.

Terra claws new furrows into the dirt when he jerks, hips morphing with a wet sound. He pants, open mouthed, pressing back into Aqua, drawing strength from her. She’s saying something, murmuring words and purring comfort. Ventus grips Terra’s arm as his own change kicks back up, whimpering as his limbs morph and lengthen. Terra gasps, shaking as his legs and arms shift, bones creaking and crackling like snapping twigs. He digs his toes into the dirt and flexes, hips raised and lifting up on his elbows,  _ willing  _ his legs to hurry up and  _ change  _ already. He wants this to be  _ over _ .

Something long and furry whips against his ankles. Terra drops his head from Aqua’s to look. It’s a tail. It’s Ventus’ tail. His cub is covered almost entirely in fur, shorts a tattered mess around his hips. Ventus whimpers, exhausted, as his ears slowly tug and twitch upward. Vanitas is pale and silent, curled around Ven as much as he can while Ven is still beneath Terra’s protective arm. Their eyes meet for a bare moment and something like solidarity passes between them, but Terra can’t focus on it. He feels his own ears tug back and up, fur crawling up his neck. 

Almost there.

Terra growls deep in his chest, hot tears spilling over his cheeks as his nose  _ crunches  _ in on itself, teeth pushing outward as his skull flattens and lengthens. His jaw won’t close as his face pushes out into a snout, fur blooming to cover his face at long last. He goes limp almost immediately, panting harshly. Ventus, still underneath Terra’s arm, whimpers and nuzzles into his side, shivering. Terra feels a tongue rasp against his forehead, and he can smell Aqua. He huffs, exhausted, but feels… he feels  _ right  _ as Aqua grooms him, as more cubs pace around him and nuzzle him and Ventus. He nudges Aqua’s muzzle with his own, feeling stiff all over, and lowers his own muzzle to groom Ventus’ hair.

“Well, that was exciting,” a voice drawls. Terra manages to raise his head. Comet quirks a wry smile at him, looking as exhausted and stressed as he feels.“I’ve got the gummi ship in the meadow a few yards from here. Y’all wanna come to my den with me and all these worried cubs or do you wanna go to the castle?”

“Den?” Aqua asks, repeating the question she had asked what seemed so long ago now.

“Somewhere safe,” Comet continues before Sora can speak up. “Somewhere safe, where the pack is, with food and lots of blankets, and it’s cozy and warm.”

“Den, please,” Ventus rasps.

“That sounds… nice,” Aqua agrees, tension easing around her shoulders.

“Stars, yes,” Terra groans, flopping his head down.

“Are you capable of getting up?” Comet asks, looking like they expected a denial.

“...not without help,” Terra admits, pushing down old instincts that scream  _ NO NO NO NO NO. _

“I don’t think I can,” Ventus wheezes.

“Alright,” Comet says, getting to their feet. “I can carry Ventus. Aqua, cubs, let’s get Terra to the ship.” He’s much bigger now that he’s a bear again, and multiple people are likely going to be necessary to help him move.

Terra reluctantly removes his arm from around Ventus, who whimpers and curls in towards Vanitas in a silent plea for comfort. Vanitas looks startled for a moment before glancing towards Comet.

“I.. I’ve got him.” He mutters as he picks the near limp jaguar up. Physically Ven is bigger than him now, but curled tightly as he is he doesn’t look it, and Vanitas hefts him with no trouble.

Terra whimpers slightly himself, already missing the contact of cub and pack. Aqua butts her muzzle against his, purring and nuzzling soothingly. He heaves a sigh, willing himself to calm down. 

Okay. Okay, he can do this.

“Here we go,” Terra grumbles, heaving himself up. Aqua braces him up from underneath him, her upper back pressed against his chest. Terra pants harshly, limbs trembling.

“Bad time to ask, but, hah, what’s easier?” He asks. “Me upright or on all fours?”

“Whatever’s easier on you,” Aqua tells him. “We’ve got you, Terra.”

“Okay,” he pants. “Okay.”

Terra, supported by Aqua and propped up by the occasional cub, limps his way to the ship, Comet leading the way. Roxas dashes ahead to unlock the ship, lowering the boarding ramp. Comet goes first, followed by Vanitas who carefully places Ventus in a small pile of blankets near the entrance to the piloting cockpit. Comet calls him towards the cockpit to help, and though he hesitates he goes. Ven mrowls mournfully after him.

“Shut up, the faster we do this the faster we get there.” Vanitas grumbles, but there’s no true heat in it, words coloured by something that sounds more like exhaustion than anything else.

Terra, supported by Aqua, shuffles in next, supremely aware that he is too big for this ship. He curls protectively around Ventus, one arm gently tugging the cub closer to his chest.

The other cubs hesitate, clearly unsure how they’re all going to fit in the ship. Comet is already in the cockpit, with an even more quiet than usual Vanitas, to start the ship and begin a systems check. Terra rolls his eyes at the cubs.

“You can climb on top of me,” he rumbles at them. “I’ll be fine.”

“But, Terra-” Namine starts, concerned.

“I’ll be fine, Namine,” Terra interrupts, not unkindly. “It’ll be like, I don’t know, a weighted blanket for me. You’re all too small to do any real damage.”

“Hurtful!” Roxas laughs, trotting up the ramp. Xion follows him, and the two willingly, but carefully, clamber on top of Terra’s back. Terra sighs, a huge gusty sound, relaxing slightly at the pressure. Kairi and Sora clamber up next, Namine daintily curling up close to Terra’s side. Riku and Haru enter last, closing the ramp behind them. They find places to sit, within reach of the pile but not quite in it.

“Everybody in?” Comet calls from the cockpit.

“All good!” Haru calls back.

“Aight, next stop: Twilight Town!”

The trip should take about two hours, with Comet doing their level best to avoid or flee fights whenever possible. Aqua paces the entirety of the ship, purring for real as she grooms everybody she can get her paws on, including Riku and Haru, the latter of which makes a halfhearted attempt at evasion. Riku just gives him a shrug after, knowing all too well it’s impossible to escape a were that needs to groom somebody. She even gets into the cockpit once or twice, presumably to give Comet’s braid a good lick and headbutting Vanitas before being shooed off.

Ven is near continuously yowling. When Aqua moves away in her pacing, he yowls for her, and when she settles near him for a moment, he starts calling for Vanitas. It would be annoying if it weren’t so endearing to see him dealing with his new instincts.

“Vannnnnnn..” He calls, for the umpteenth time.

“You’re fine, Ven.” Vanitas calls back from the cockpit.   
“But you’re over thereeeee.”

“We’re almost home, Ventus.”

Ven mrowls unhappily, and almost makes an attempt at getting up, but his overworked body can’t take it and he ends up collapsing back against Terra’s furry arm. Aqua’s huffs dramatically, stepping over bodies and limbs in the tight space and disappearing into the cockpit.

Vanitas is dropped unceremoniously into the hold a moment later, followed by Comets laughter.

Vanitas rolls his eyes but steps over a languid pile of Sora to settle into next to Ven, who closes his eyes happily.

Twenty minutes later he starts yowling for Aqua, and the cycle begins anew.

Terra dozes, Ventus yowling anxiously next to him. The cubs try to keep him awake, chatting animatedly, determined to get  _ some  _ sort of food in them both before they pass out. Presumably Lea and Isa are waiting at the bar with food and an actual nest. Aqua finishes her circuit again, licking a broad stripe from his nose to between his ears, when they finally land.

Unloading is a bit of a trial, cubs running in and out of the ship as Terra, still supported by Aqua, lumbers off the loading ramp. Comet brings up the rear, carrying Ventus, Vanitas sticking close to them, looking pale and worried. Thankfully they are unhindered in their walk to the bar. All the weres have gone to a patch of wilderness preserved for their own use, non-were loved ones either with them or fast asleep.

Lea, fully shifted himself, greets them at the bar’s back door.

“Isa’s fixin’ up some soup,” he tells Comet as Terra barely manages to squeeze in. “Something that’ll rest easy in sick stomachs.” The red wolf looks over at Terra, bright eyes assessing. “How you feeling, teddy?”

“Wow, creative,” Terra huffs, quirking a tired grin. “Tired, sore, exhausted.”

“Sounds about right,” Lea drawls, giving him a sympathetic look. “Need anymore help getting upstairs?”

“Maybe make sure the cubs don’t trip anybody up,” Aqua says, pointedly giving certain excitable cubs a quelling look. Said cubs guiltily slink upstairs with the rest of the kids. Lea snorts a puff of flame after them. Comet, who had already gone upstairs with Vanitas to drop Ventus off, sticks their head out the living space door.

“Y’all coming?” They ask. “I’ve got Sora and Van helping Ventus get some soup in him. Terra, you still need to eat something.”

Terra sighs gustily but carefully, gingerly, climbs upstairs. His ears pin back as the wood creaks alarmingly. Aqua hisses quietly, nervous.

“It’s enchanted,” Lea tells them from behind. “Don’t worry about it.”

They make it upstairs, making a beeline for Ventus, who has finished up a small serving of soup. He yawns, fangs glinting in the soft lamp light. Terra gingerly lowers himself so he’s curled around Ventus’ back, Aqua curling opposite of him. Comet appears and hands Aqua two bowls of soup, one for herself and one to feed to Terra. Terra huffs, but doesn’t resist as Aqua helps him eat the soup.

“Permission to sleep, ma’am?” Terra asks playfully.

“Granted,” Aqua sniffs. “Get some sleep, Terra. We’ll all be here in the morning.”

Terra heaves a sigh and reclines fully, tucking Ventus closer to him. Ventus snuffles and turns so he can bury his nose into Terra’s fur. Aqua finishes her own soup and curls up as well, nose brushing Terra’s as her own arm rests over Ventus. 

Terra drifts off.

  
  


_ “AAAH!” _

__ Terra jerks awake, on alert, and is instantly made aware of his paws creaking and shrinking. Ventus cries out again next to him, yowling as his muzzle crunches back into his skull. Terra groans, breath stuttering in his chest as his world dissolves into white noise and the sensation of bones crunching and snapping. He feels hands on him, tugging away loose fur and soothing aches.

He’s in the den, Terra remembers. Comet’s den. He’s safe. Pack’s here.

Terra goes limp, breathing deeply and letting his body do its thing. Somebody throws a blanket over him when it’s done. It’s a thick, heavy comforter. He manages to grab an edge and tuck the blanket closer to him, inhaling the scent of Comet’s home. He opens his eyes.

“Well, looks like the two of you made it,” Lea drawls, giving him a tired smirk. He looks worn, purple bruises under his eyes and skin pale. He’s burritoed in another blanket and propped up on pillows. Roxas and Xion are curled up on either side of him, also wrapped in blankets, fast asleep. A bundle of blankets and a pale hand dangling from the side of the couch tells Terra where Vanitas is.

“You hungry?” Lea continues. “Comet and Isa are making some hash if you think you’re capable of eating right now.”

“Stars bless them both,” Terra groans, wrapping the blanket tighter around him and sitting up. Ventus snuffles, scooching closer. “Please tell me there’s coffee.”

“Who do you think we are?” Lea sniffs imperiously. “Freakin’ savages? Nah, they’ve got coffee brewing. Smells fantastic.”

Terra feels warmth bloom in his chest. He feels… he feels safe. Cared for. Usually whenever he’s incapacitated in some way he gets anxious and irritable, but he doesn’t. He  _ knows  _ that, should anything happen, the others around him would take care of it, take care of  _ him.  _ He’s under no expectations, no demands to stay strong and stay quiet. He’s accepted and sheltered.

It’s… nice.

“Is this…” Terra starts, but stops himself, feeling foolish.

“Is this what?” Lea prompts, raising an eyebrow. 

“Is this what a ‘den’ is?” Terra asks. Lea looks at him, and Terra flushes, hunching his shoulders.

“...yeah,” Lea confirms, looking lost in thought. “Yeah, this is what a den is. This is what a  _ pack,  _ is. Home, family, a warm place to sleep, folks who hold you when you hurt.” He looks back at Terra, gaze piercing, assessing. “You know you, Aqua, and Ventus are welcome here anytime, right? I know Comet will agree with me. Full moons can get rough, especially in that bigass castle you call a home. You guys can come stick it out with us for as long as you like.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth.”

Terra jumps, stifling a yelp. Lea laughs, head tilted back. Comet, holding a plate and a mug of coffee, grins sheepishly.

“Sorry about that, Terra,” they say. “Thought you’d be able to hear me. Anyway, got some food for ya. Coffee?”

“Stars, yes,” Terra sighs, gingerly taking the plate and mug from Comet’s hands. The first sip of coffee warms him down to his very  _ soul.  _

“Where’s  _ my _ food?” Lea whines teasingly.

“You’ll get it in a minute, Fido,” Comet cracks back. “Anyway. Terra, we’re all serious about this. If any of you need a place that feels safe, that feels like  _ den _ , you are  _ more  _ than welcome to come here, okay? It’s kinda the reason I got this joint expanded in the first place. Just… think it over, okay?”

“We’ve got your back, Terra,” Lea tells him, expression serious. “None of you are alone in this.”

Terra swallows, looking down at his plate.

“Thank you,” he mumbles, heart full.  _ Pack, pack, pack,  _ it whispers. “Thank you so much.”

The rest of the day is spent in the nest. Aqua continues to be the Absolute Best and shows that she had spare clothes for everyone in her inventory. Terra and Ventus are helped through a bath, cleaning off loose fur and warm water easing stiff muscles. The pack never leaves them unattended, Comet going so far as to keep the bar closed for the day. Ventus stays curled up with Terra, Aqua curling up on the other side of Ventus, pressing her forehead to Terra’s and purring. Lea curls up behind Terra, pressing his back against Terra’s, warm and rumbling. The only times Comet or Aqua leave the nest is to make food. The rest of the kids lounge around with them, talking quietly or napping.

Terra’s never felt so calm in his  _ life. _

He likes having a pack.

He hopes he can get the castle to be a den like this, someday.

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAND VENTUS JOINS THE PACK!   
> And also family feelings!


End file.
